AC Milan are pushing hard to keep Mike Maignan at the club, and a report has brought some good news regarding his renewal.
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport (seen below), the news is that Milan have officially delivered an offer to Maignan to extend his contract, which expires on June 30th. It’s a significant offer, in line with the salary of Rafael Leao, the highest-paid player in the squad.
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The management are now awaiting a response from the captain, but while his decision to leave Milan in search of a new opportunity was a given previously, the situation is now more fluid. One might almost say it’s reversed.
The management, Massimiliano Allegri, his staff and Maignan’s team-mates are doing everything they can to convince him to sign. The Frenchman is flattered by the constant expressions of esteem he’s receiving and while this doesn’t mean he’ll definitely stay, the dialogue is ongoing.
The two sides will meet soon because, after the proposal of the last few days, it’s important to look at each other in the eye and discuss. In the meantime, the Frenchman is reflecting on what – one way or another – will be a life choice. Milan are convinced they have done their best.
The figures and the feelings
Everyone is playing a key role in the mission to persuade Magic Mike. The club have offered him a top-level salary, the same one that prompted Leao to renew his contract: €7m net, including bonuses, per season.
This is lower than the former Lille player’s asking price (€7.5m with bonuses on top), but the goalkeeper would join the Portuguese as the highest-paid in the squad. To narrow the gap between offer and demand without breaking the cap, the club are keen to work on bonuses.
Which ones? Perhaps by including one tied to future Champions League participation, as was done with Adrien Rabiot. If he signs within a few weeks, say before the end of the January transfer window or by early March, he could be awarded a bonus for 2025-26 to supplement his current salary.
This figure would perhaps be triggered by qualification for Europe’s most prestigious competition. It would be a sort of signing bonus he would receive if he were to join another club on a free transfer.
The club is looking around and has monitored the situation of potential replacements (Zion Suzuki before his injury and Hugo Souza of Corinthians, to name just two examples), but the investment between the posts will only be made if Maignan definitively rejects staying at Milan.
That’s why all efforts are now being focused on convincing him. The proposed agreement is long, until 2029 with an option for 2030, or possibly until 2030 without an option. A long-term project with the captain at the center.
Massimiliano Allegri and his staff know that it would be difficult to sign another Maignan and even harder to integrate them in the same way, both into the squad and the dressing room. So it’s best not to lose him, even if the coach knows he can only do so much.
Even team-mates are rooting for Maignan’s stay: Matteo Gabbia has come out in the open with a post on social media, explicitly asking him to sign a contract renewal. That’s why Furlani and Tare are stepping up and believing in the renewal mission.
He’s not that good, c’mon. And it will cause further distress in the locker room as the other’s will feel entitled to the pay rise.
This is extortion.
Don’t forget that the goalkeeper is the easiest position to replace. And he has horrible seasons behind him.
LOLOLOLOLO
Extortion??????
Go back to bed son.
Have you slept yet?
You are interista.
Please go.
You first.
He is good but not THAT good. He is error prone, which we shouldn’t firgey either.
If that is the contract we offer, I hope it’s just s we can sell him for money and then give Torriani a chance
Maignan is world class. His great with his feet and obviously one of the most important players in the locker room. That is why Allegri wants to keep him so badly.
Just look at the difference of both Maignan and the team from last season. Allegri knows what hes doing and he should be given exactly the players he wants.
I say we hold on to what we have. Nothing wrong in a worker asking for a pay-rise. Mike hasn’t given us any issues since he came. He’s acted maturely throughout.
I’m looking forward to this Maignan-Milan negotiations so much so that I’ll be disappointed with him if he renews only just because of an increased salary.
His renewal for me is to hint to me how ambitious this Milan project is (qualifying for Champions league and competing to win should be the target).
Do whatever Allegri asks. He has cleared all doubts already